An interview with Graham Roy on the 2023 Marblehead to Halifax Race
by David Schmidt 5 Jul 2023 16:00 BST
July 9, 2023
Racecourse action at the start of the 2019 Marblehead to Halifax Race © Cate Brown/catebrownphoto.com
If you live on the East Coast and are into distance racing, odd-numbered years in the month of July often conjure thoughts and great memories of the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race. The 2023 edition of this historic race (established 1905) is set to begin on Sunday, July 9 on the waters off of Marblehead, Massachusetts, and will take the fleet across the Gulf of Maine and up Nova Scotia's rugged and scenic coastline to a finishing line off of the Canadian maritime city of Halifax.
The event is organized and hosted by the Boston Yacht Club and the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, and it will feature vessels ranging in size and complexity from an Archambault A31 that's racing double-handed to a fully crewed Mills 68 (and, on the multihull side, a crewed Gunboat 55).
Having been fortunate to have done this race in 2005, I can personally attest that it's one of the best distance races on this side of the country, and—depending on one's weather routing (read: inshore or offshore)—it can offer a taste of what it's like to race along a shoreline that's largely void of lights or civilization.
I checked in with Graham Roy, who serves as the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron's regatta chair for the 2023 Marblehead to Halifax Race, via email, ahead of this classic East Coast distance race.
2019 feels like a long time ago. Can you please tell us about any changes or additions to the race, since it was last held four years ago?
2019 was a challenging race of two tales. The quick boats were able to get out ahead of an incoming high-pressure system and have a relatively fast race while the rest of the fleet was left with becalmed seas in the middle of the Gulf of Maine. This made for a slow race, and a higher-than-normal number of retirements from the event.
Because of this, we looked at how we could give the average boat a little more time on the course, in the hopes that a few more hours of time limit would make the difference.
After careful review, we adjusted the starting order, added a "hail mary" scoring gate at Brazil Rock and updated the finish line location. We hope these changes will make the difference for some boats, and we will assess these changes afterwards to determine a benefit in real time.
Are you seeing a lot of familiar names (skippers and or yachts) on this year's entry list, or has four years been enough time for a decent crop of newcomers to emerge?
There are always some familiar names on the registration list for an event like this. You don't have to look far to find skippers or yachts who have participated in 10, 15, or even more races over the course of time.
This year is no different. As of the end of May, 44% of boats are returning for their second race, or more, while 56% of entrants are first-time boats. This is higher than normal, which I believe is a good thing as we witness a renewed interest in ocean racing since the pandemic.
We hope that this higher number of first-time entrants translates into a higher second-time percentage in 2025.
What kinds of numbers and interest levels are you seeing ahead of the 2023 event? Also, are there any geographical hotspots?
We saw a very healthy number of registrations before the New Year, which was different this time around. This was terrific as it allowed us to better plan events and ensure thourough preparation at both clubs.
As of right now, we are up slightly over [our] 2019 [numbers] with 74 boats expected on the start line. The registrants are predominantly based out of the northeast United States, while about 20% are Canadian-based, which is about the norm.
Do you think that the wildfires in May and June on Nova Scotia and near Halifax will have any affect on the race?
Thankfully, Nova Scotia has received some much needed rain in early June, which has allowed the firefighters to gain control of these two major fires that devastated a number of communities While there are crew members that live in and around the affected areas, we do not anticipate that it will have any impact on our race.
Has there been any consideration of adding a double-handed class for future editions of this great ocean race?
Double-handed [racing] has always been offered to our competitors. In 2019, we had 10 boats participate in this division. This is something that we will continue to offer going forward as there always seems to be some interest.
What kind of festivities do you and the other event organizers have planned for participating sailors, both in Marblehead and in Halifax?
There is always a full slate of activities available, both pre and post-race. On Friday July 7th, BYC will host the always popular Golsing's Rum and Bentwater Beer Tastings event under the tent, followed up with a party and dancing tunes provided by Beat Street Band. The next day, in keeping tradition, there will be live music on Saturday afternoon and evening by Matt & Dave. These few days are always a great time!
On Wednesday, July 12th [the] RNSYS will welcome sailors and guests with complimentary massages and yoga in the afternoon, followed by a Taste of The Maritimes event, where guests will be able to enjoy the best in our local food and drink. Then closing the evening, we [will] have the hugely popular Hopping Penguins with some fantastic music on the patio to keep everyone on the dance floor!
Can you tell us about any efforts that you and the other regatta organizers have made to try to lower the regatta's environmental footprint or otherwise green-up the regatta?
Over the past few races both BYC and the RNSYS have dedicated significant resources into making our clubs, and this race, more environmentally friendly. We have signed up as a Clean Regatta with Sailors for the Sea, which is an organization that promotes sustainability for both on and near water events. A great deal of focus has been spent educating our participants on some best practices while at sea and working hard to reduce waste on land by using biodegradable items and having proper waste sort facilities available.
Our goal is to leave as small of a footprint as possible so future sailors can continue to enjoy the pristine sailing waters that we are so fortunate to explore today.
Is there anything else about this year's Marblehead to Halifax race that you'd like to add, for the record?
The excitement is building as we close in on the final weeks before the start of the race. The history with this race is truly remarkable, and we are very excited to welcome everyone back to what is celebrated as the longest-standing ocean race in the world.